Discuss the interplay between theory and observation that has led to our modern theory of solar system formation

QUESTIONS:

1. Newton’s Prisms. Review the brief discussion in this chapter of how Newton proved that the colors seen when light passes through a prism come from the light itself rather than from the prism. Suppose you wanted to test Newton’s findings. Assuming you had two prisms and a white screen, describe how you would arrange the prisms to duplicate Newton’s discovery.

2. Why Wait? To explore a planet, we often send first a flyby, then an orbiter, then a probe or a lander. There’s no doubt that probes and landers give the most close-up detail, so why don’t we send this type of mission first? For the planet of your choice, based just on the information in this chapter, give an example of why such a strategy might cause a mission to provide incomplete information about the planet or to fail outright.

3. Theory and Observation. Discuss the interplay between theory and observation that has led to our modern theory of solar system formation. What role does technology play in allowing us to test this theory?